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The Three-Pointer: Rondo Bests Jennings In Point Guard Battle

The Celtics made a pit stop in Boston on Tuesday night in between road trips, and stayed just long enough to recover from a struggling performance on the boards and pull away in the fourth with a 98-89 win over the Bucks (check out the full game recap here).

Led by Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo, the Celtics forced six turnovers in the final 12 minutes and shot nearly 56 percent to leave the young Bucks watching the close game slip from their grasp.

Before the Celtics hit the road again for a three-game trip, here are three things we learned from their victory:

The match up to watch coming into the game was Rajon Rondo vs. Brandon Jennings.

The Oak Hill Academy alumni are two of the most talked about — and youngest — point guards in the league. On Tuesday, 23-year-old Rondo's experience showed up the 20-year-old rookie.

While Jennings outscored Rondo 11-0 through three quarters, Rondo scored all of his 11 points in the fourth, including five critical free throws. His determination to help his team win landed him at the line seven times down the stretch. Jennings attempted two free throws during that time.

“Early on I thought he was driving and avoiding contact. He’s driving now. He’s getting to the basket ... whether he gets fouled,” said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. “I told him at halftime, just keep attacking, and that’s what he’s doing.

“The one thing about Rondo — and this is why you know the shots will go in eventually — is because he does believe they’re going to go in. He has no problem getting fouled with two minutes or a minute or 30 seconds left and going to the line. And he’s going to get fouled more. That’s going to happen. So it’s really important, obviously, for your point guard to make the free throws. And he’s going to do that. He’s starting to now.”

Jennings entered the league as a Rondo fan. (“I think what he did in the playoffs was awesome,” he told WEEI.com at the Las Vegas Summer League. “I try to take something from him.”) At the same time, he is quick to point out Rondo is surrounded with more talent than many other point guards in the league.

Jennings knows firsthand. He is the Bucks leading scorer in his first season.

“I mean, with the squad he has, there's not much he has to really do but just go out there and run the team and get assists and play defense and scramble everywhere,” he said. “He has it easier I think than a lot of other guards do, like the Chris Pauls, the Deron Williams, guys like that.”

But after watching Rondo take over the fourth quarter in which the Bucks were outscored by a game-changing nine points, Jennings credits Rondo for this role on the Celtics.

“Overall he's a great point guard for that team,” he said, “And without him, I don't think that team really goes.”

KG IS BACK ... EVEN IF HE DOESN'T NOTICE

Eyes have been drawn directly to Kevin Garnett's stat line the entire season.

Game-by-game, his shooting performance has been put under a microscope. And game-by-game, the picture has been becoming more clear.

Garnett posted his fifth consecutive 15-plus point performance on Tuesday when he scored 25 against the Bucks, one shy of his season high.

“Really I’m not even paying attention to my shot,” Garnett said after the game. “I just know it feels good. I feel great I feel a lot more explosive. Everything I’m doing in the course of the offense is nothing sparks, is nothing shiny, is nothing glossy.”

Garnett continues to take smart shots, and because of that continues to shoot at a high percentage. He followed up shooting 10-for-11 against the Thunder last weekend with a 9-for-13 showing on Tuesday. He is also staying in the mix at the basket, pulling down nine rebounds.

“I’m just going out trying to get chances to score, opportunities to be effective. I’m trying to take advantage of them,” he said. “Other than that, my mindset is more defensive than offensive right now. [I'm] not even thinking about the offensive end to be honest with you.

“But it does feel good coming off my hand and I’m just trying to be aggressive.”

It means he is loose and ready to go. He hasn't been dancing much this season.

On Tuesday Allen made his regular season debut after being sidelined with an ankle injury. He had surgery on his right ankle in June and tweaked it again in during the preseason. Allen had been waiting anxiously for this return since playing just one game against the Knicks on October 9.

“Oh man, I was excited,” he said after the game. “I haven't played in a while so it was something new. Just to hear my name again, I almost thought he [Doc Rivers] was speaking in French. But it was a cool thing. I enjoyed it and now it's just time to get back after it in practice again.”

Allen was admittedly rusty. Adrenaline carried him in the first half but he felt winded in the second. His timing was off, too.

But even though the box score may not reflect it — he went scoreless and committed two turnovers in six minutes — the effort was there. He looked for the open teammate and finally had a bounce instead of a limp on the court. This contest was a steppingstone as part of his return to the game, which will include additional conditioning with Celtics trainers.

Allen bounced to the music in his headphones before the game, but he's saving the real dance moves for later.

“You won't see any dancing back for a while,” he said. “I don't have my swagger back yet. When I have my swagger together and I get to playing and dunking and doing what I do, locking these guys down, you'll see it.”

Flannery joins Mut to break down the Isaiah Thomas trade to Boston and what it means for the Celtics this season and in the future. Paul also chats with Mut about the other deals that happened at the NBA's trading deadline

In the second of Sunday Skate, DJ and Joe discuss the approaching NHL trade deadline and what the B's will do. They get into the Boychuk move at the beginning of the season and Boychuk's brother venting on Twitter this morning about complaining B's fans. There is more discussion on the 3rd and 4th lines, their playoff chances and then they are joined by ESPN's Scott Burnside.

Another edition of Sunday Skate is upon us and DJ and Joe get into the B's big win over Arizona last night and the improvement of Ryan Spooner. They get into the Blackhawks giving up a 1st round pick for C Antoine Vermette - someone the B's could certainly use but weren't willing to give up the steep price of a 1st rounder. DJ and Joe also get into Claude's willingness to switch up lines as well as the performance of the 3rd and 4th lines. Finally, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman sits down with the boys.

Boston University coach David Quinn joins WEEI’s Scott McLaughlin to discuss the Terriers’ Beanpot title and how he feels about his team as the postseason approaches. Quinn also discusses reports about NHL interest in goalie Matt O’Connor and briefly touches on a recent misstep by Jack Eichel.

With free agency looming, Adam Schefter, on Sportscenter, said that he thinks Darrelle Revis will NOT be re-signed by the Patriots and that they will cut him instead, making him the most coveted free agent on the market.